Complete NFCA Top 25 Poll

TACOMA, Wash. —The Northwest Conference leading Pacific Lutheran University softball squad is finally getting some nation attention on Tuesday, breaking into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Diviison III Top 25 Coaches Poll at number 21. 

PLU (28-8) earned 49 points in the poll to secure 21st, sitting 11 points shy of Husson University (23-4) in 20th and 21 points clear of 22nd-ranked Swarthmore College (26-8). Virginia Wesleyan University (36-0) holds the top spot with 250 points and all 10 first place votes with defending national champion Trine University (23-1) second with 240 points. Saint Mary's University (28-2), East Texas Baptist University (31-3), and Texas Lutheran University (32-4) round out the top five. 

The Lutes crack the national rankings after taking three of four from then No. 3 Linfield University to take sole possession of first place in the NWC standings with one week left in the regular season. PLU split with the Wildcats on Saturday, winning 1-0 and stumbling 15-13 in game two. The Lutes swept on Sunday, earning 6-4 and 7-3 wins, a performance that dropped Linfield from No. 3 to No. 8 in the poll.

Pacific Lutheran can lock up its first regular season NWC title since 2003 this weekend, finishing the regular season in Spokane, Washington with a four-game series against Whitworth University.